Vote record pack print device



March 4, 1969 o pov ET AL 3,430,559

VOTE RECORD PACK PRINT DEVICE Sheet Filed April 7, 1966 INVENTORS.

MICHAEL T. MOLDOVAN EUGENE HODSON DREW ATTORNEYS March 4, 1969 M. T. MOLDOVAN ET VOTE RECORD PACK PRINT DEVICE Sheet Filed April 7, 1966 MICHAEL T MOLDOVAN BY EUGENE HODSON DREW QW,M,@M@*@ mm mm A TTOP/VEYS March 4, 1969 MOLDQVAN ET AL 3,430,559

' VOTE RECORD PACK PRINT DEVICE Sheet Filed April 7, 1966 Fig. 6. 2

s u s so us no as I INVENTORS MICHAEL T. MOLDOVAN y EUGENE HODSON' DREW @m,M,@/w 4w no *1! NO YES "0 CAREFULLY REMOVE nus SHEET O EPOSE FF|C\AL RETURN SHEET ATTOR United States Patent 3,430,559 VOTE RECORD PACK PRINT DEVICE Michael T. Moldovan, Jamestown, N.Y., and Eugene Hodson Drew, Greencoast Springs, Fla.; Edward de Belle Drew, administrator, and Sherwood Drew Robinson, administratrix of said Eugene Hodson Drew, deceased, assignors to AVM Corporation, Jamestown,

Filed Apr. 7, 1966, Ser.No. 540,935 U.S. Cl. 101-269 Int. Cl. B41f 3/20, 1/28; B21b 31/08 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to voting machine return records, and more particularly to means for printing return sheet forms in packs for use in record-printing type voting machines. Such machines provide, upon close of the polls, multiple return sheet" copies carrying the total vote cast for each candidate and question. Thus, the present invention relates to means for printing multiple vote tally receiving forms arranged in sheet pack relation, as disclosed for example in U.S. Patents 2,787,414, 2,943,786, and 2,945,433.

As shown in the aforementioned patents, printed records of the total vote cast on the voting machine are mechanically transferred from the machine registering counters to a return sheet (and preferably to multiple copies thereof) quickly and accurately upon close of the polls. Such return sheet packs contain the desired number of copy sheets separated by carbon paper sheets (or carbonized at the rear surface of each sheet) whereby when the pack is pressed against the machine counter wheels the total readings thereon are transcribed in printed form to each sheet of the pack. To prepare the record sheets to receive the transcribed totals in properly identified manner, it is necessary to pre-print the pack sheets with the names of the offices and candidates and questions (and with incidental guide lines and instructions) in conformity with the balloting format on the face of the voting machine, as illustrated for example at FIGS. 13, 14 of Patent 2,943,786 and at FIG. 1 of Patent 2,945,433.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved printing press mechanism for preparing vote record sheet packs of the type referred to hereinabove.

More specifically it is an object to provide an improved printing press as aforesaid which accommodates a multiple sheet pack and is operable with ease and facility to print the required material uniformly and clearly throughout the span of each sheet of the pack.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved printing press as aforesaid which is readily adjustable to adapt it to varying pressure distribution requirements, while being at the same time structurally rugged and foolproof in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the specification hereinafter and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a printing press of the present invention fragmentarily illustrating a vote record sheet pack mounted in printing relation thereon;

3,430,559 Patented Mar. 4, 1969 FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken as suggested by line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged scale fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged scale sectional view taken as indicated by line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section taken as suggested by line 5-5 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating a vote record pack after being printed on the machine.

As shown by way of example in the drawing herewith, the printing press of the invention is constructed to include a galley chase including a bed adapted to receive thereon the contents of a printing galley tray, whereupon the printing type is locked-up by means of suitable quoin-locks and/or other typical galley furniture. The record sheet pack to be printed is then placed over the type surfaces while a platen is moved from one end of the assembly to the other; whereby the platen rollers compress the sheet pack against the print type, transferring the form printing characters to the record sheets. The construction and operation of the machine will now be discussed in detail.

The printing bed The bed of the machine is constructed to comprise a relatively light weight but extremely rigid base member. It is of course of utmost importance that this base struc ture be of absolute maximum bend-resistance rigidity, in order to provide uniform support for the printing type carried thereon in spite of the tremendous bending loads to which it is subjected as the platen moves from end to end of the machine while pulling upwardly along the opposite sides of the bed and pressing downwardly intermediately thereof. To this end the bed structure of the machine is assembled from a plurality of light weight metal parts comprising, as best shown in FIGS. 1, 3, a frame portion consisting of top and bottom rails 8, 9, and end rails 10, 11; a top floor plate portion 12; a bottom floor plate portion 14; and a plurality of truss devices as indicated at 16 disposed between the top and bottom floor plates. The end rails 10, 11, are keystone-shaped at their opposite ends and slip-fit into dovetail shaped recesses formed in the rails 8, 9, and are bolted to the bed structure to firmly stabilize the assembly. The truss members 16 are, as best illustrated at FIG. 3, of extruded metal form, each having a rectangularly zig-zag sectional shape defining upper and lower plateaus against which the top and bottom floor plates are assembled. As indicated at 17, 18, the truss members are edgewise formed to structurally interlock in the assembled relation shown.'Along each longitudinal edge of the bed structure the spaces between the top and bottom floor plates are occupied by Z-sectioned channels designated 20-20, arranged with their bottom flange portions in spaced relation to the corresponding edges of the frame members 8, 9; providing therebetween trackways accommodating the platen support rollers as will be explained hereinafter. Machine screws as indicated at 21 are used to relatively fix the frame members; the top fioor plate 12 and the track rail members 20 together.

The bed structure comprising the top floor plate 12; the truss members 16; the bottom floor plate 14; and the roller guide channels 20 are firmly locked together in assembled relation by means of epoxy cement (or any other suitable type metal-to-metal adhesive having the characteristic of setting up hard into the form of an inflexible mass of extremely high compressive strength). By virtue of this construction, irregularities in the geo metric and/or dimensional forms of the truss components 16 are compensated for by filling of the spaces between non-meeting surfaces of the truss and floor plate members with firm fillings of rigid epoxy cement as indicated at 22 (FIG. 3). In consequence the top floor plate 12 resides in firmly locked relation upon the supporting truss structure free from any restraints or stresses such as might distort the floor sheet out of perfectly flat plane form; thereby providing an ideal platform for the galley tray when positioned thereon. At the same time, the adhesive firmly locks together the entire bed structure assembly, thereby providing a lightweight yet perfectly rigid beam structure absolutely rigid against bowing under the loads imposed when the platen traverses the machine for pack printing purposes.

The upper frame plate 8 as viewed in FIG. 1 is provided with upstanding studs 24 upon which the record sheet pack 25 which is to be printed is hung; the sheet pack being suitably apertured as indicated at 26. To hold down the opposite edge of the sheet pack the frame plate 9 is grooved as indicated at 28 (FIGS. 1, 3) to accommodate therein a down-folded edge portion of the sheet pack and a hold-down rod 30; the parts being so dimensioned that when the rod 30 is pressed down against the sheet pack the latter bends in semi-folded relation under the rod and is rammed down into the groove 28 in friction-fitted holding relation. Thus, it will be understood that the sheet pack may be quickly mounted in smoothed out relation and in accurate registry relative to the machine bed by first hanging it along its top edge on the studs 24 and then drawing it across the bed in smoothedout relation and then locking it along its lower edge to the machine bed by means of the rod 30. By this process the rod 30 tautens the pack as the rod is pressed down into the groove 28, thereby presenting the pack to the platen rollers in perfectly smoothed-out condition.

The printing chase and furniture As illustrated at FIGS. 1, 2, the printing chase includes an end bar 32 which is clamped to the top floor plate 12 by means of machine screws 33. This bar supports in superposed relation thereon a print guide card 34 which is of vertically extending flat strip form having thereon print type locating guide indicia designating the vertical levels at which the question; ofiice titles; and candidate names printing type blocks are to be set up in the printing chase prior to laying the record sheet packs thereon. The top frame bar 8 is provided with pitch guide lines as indicated at 36 for guiding the horizontally transverse locations of the printing types in columnar alignments below the office titles print types which are set up in horizontal alignments with the caption area sections of the print guide card 34.

Thus it will be appreciated that as soon as it is known what questions and offices and candidates names should appear on the ballot, the voting custodian lays out the arrangements of the ballot on a facsimile diagram sheet in exactly the same positions that they are to occupy on the finished ballot format. This facsimile diagram is then used by the type setter as a guide in preparing the galley tray. When the latter is assembled it is slid sidewise onto the left-hand end of the printer bed top floor plate (the frame bar 10 having first been released and and lifted out of engagement with the frame plates 8, 9) and then slid over to the left into its intended operative position as illustrated at FIG. 1.

When so positioned the horizontal and vertical registries of the various type (or cut) blocks are visually checked against the designations on the print guide card 34 and the pitch guide lines 36 inscribed on the top frame plate 8; and any positional discrepancies are then corrected by substitution of more appropriate spacers between adjacent print type blocks. The galley is then locked up by means of filler blocks and quoin-locks as indicated at 37 and 38, respectively. The bar 32 supporting the guide card 34 functions at the left side of the machine as a buttress against which the galley is packed, and a buttress bar as indicated at 40 having keystoneshaped end portions slip fitting into appropriately selected dovetail-shaped recesses 42 in the top and bottom frame plates 8, 9 is thereby positioned to provide a galley buttress at its right hand end. When the galley is thus locked-up the printer will preferably run a sample printing to confirm the accuracy on the galley setup before mounting the record sheet packs thereon.

A covering for protecting each sheet pack as it is being printed is provided in the form of a sheet of flexible yet durable plastic material or the like as indicated at 45; the sheet 45 being rectangularly shaped and dimensioned to span the machine from left to right throughout the area of coverage of the platen rolls as will be explained more fully hereinafter. As indicated at 46, 48, the bed frame plates 10, 11 are provided with upstanding nub devices upon which suitably apertured end portions of the cover sheet 45 may be hooked. Thus, as the platen rollers horizontally traverse the device they ride directly on the cover sheet and any drag forces thereon are taken by the fastening devices at opposite ends of the cover sheet, thereby protecting the record sheets from any side-wise positional displacements.

The printing platen As shown herein the printing platen device is illustrated to comprise a carriage frame including a pair of end plates 5050 interconnected by means of a rigid, centrally disposed beam or tube 52, and a plurality of cross tie bolts 54 dimensioned to horizontally span the vertical spread of the printing bed, and locked to the end plates 5050 as by means of lock nuts 56. The end plates 5050 mount at their lower ends printing-pressure supply rollers 58 running in the track rails 20-20 of the bed structure, as will be explained more fully hereinafter. The beam tube 52 is locked to the end plates 5050 by means of a through rod 60 and lock nuts 62.

At intervals lengthwise of the tube 52 a plurality of stirrup rings 64 encircle the tube 52 and are fixed thereto by means of set screws 66. Each stirrup ring 64 includes a downwardly directed bored nub or socket portion 68 (FIGS. 3, 4) into which slip fits the shank and of an eyeshaped pressure strut or rod 70. The shank positions of the struts 70 are screw-threaded and carry thereon stopnuts 71 for purposes to be explained hereinafter. The strut rods 70 accommodate in free-rotating relation therein the printing roll support shaft 72 (FIG. 4), the opposite ends of which are journaled in eccentric hub portions 7474 of control knobs 7575; the hub portions 7474 being journaled in the end plates 5050 (see FIG. 5). The control knobs 75-75 are thus manually rotatable to cause the printing roll support shaft to shift vertically relative to the machine bed.

Printing press rolls as indicated at are carried by the shaft 72 in freely rotating relation thereon intermediately of the strut rods 70; the printing rolls being so dimensioned and the strut devices being so located on the tube 52 as to dispose the rolls to ride over all portions of the sheet pack which are underlain by printing type and to press down upon the pack so as to print the voting record form sheets as illustrated in FIG. 4, thereby providing a product as shown by way of example at FIG. 6. Thus, it will be appreciated that the printing roll unit may be readily assembled and reassembled from time to time to suit different printing formats; the support tube 52 functioning at all times to provide a rigid keel against which the pressure struts operate to reinforce the printing roll carrying shaft 72 against printing pressure induced deflections.

To adjust the individual printing rolls to suit any given setup irregularities and/or to insure application of uniform print roller pressures against all portions of the sheets being printed, the adjustment nuts 71 are manually shifted as may be needed on the threaded shanks of the struts 70, so as to provide appropriate positionings of each nut to regulate the vertical positions of the printing rolls relative to one another. To regulate the overall printing pressure of the entire roll assembly against the sheet packs being printed, the control knobs 75-75 are simply rotated manually to provide the desired adjustment in this respect. Set screws as indicated at 81 (FIG. 2) are provided to lock the knobs 75-75 against unintended rotation relative to the end plates 50 after the knobs have been manually adjusted to any desired position.

It will of course be understood that operation of the platen may be either manually or power-induced, by either simply manually pulling and pushing against the platen carriage or through use of a hand crank or geared electric motor, or the like; and that whereas only one form of the invention has been illustrated and described by way of example in detail hereinabove, it will be appreciated that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A mechanism for printing voting machine return record forms in multiple pack assemblies, said machine comprising:

a galley chase including a printing bed having an upstanding frame structure defining a printing type support area thereof, said frame structure having hook means thereon adapting packs of pressureprintable record sheets to be hooked thereon to lay over the printing type support area and adapting a drag protective cover sheet to be hooked thereon to lay over a record sheet pack when mounted thereon,

and a printing platen device comprising a carriage frame transversely spanning said printing bed in spaced relation thereabove and having support means extending downwardly therefrom along opposite sides of said printing had, each support means carrying roller means running in vertical displacement-limiting trackways formed integrally with said printing bed,

said carriage frame including a rigid transverse beam member structurally integrated at its opposite ends with said support means,

a printing roll support shaft extending in parallel spaced relation below said beam member, bearing means in said roller supports receiving the opposite ends of said printing roll support shaft,

a plurality of freely rotatable printing rolls carried by said printing roll support shaft, the parts being dimensioned and arranged so that when said carriage is moved to traverse the printing type area said printing rolls operate to press said pack sheets into printing relation against type disposed in said printing type support area,

adjustable-length pressure strut means extending between said printing roll support shaft and said transverse beam member for bracing said printing roll support shaft against bowing deflections,

and means manually operable to shift said bearing means relative to said support means thereby varying the elevation of said roll support shaft relative to said printing bed,

said rigid transverse beam member having a plurality of longitudinally spaced and downwardly directed socket members rigidly attached thereto, said pressure strut means having upper end portions slip-fitting into corresponding ones of said socket members and being screw threaded and provided with stop nut members adjustable therealong to bear against said socket members, said bearing means being eccentrically mounted in said roller supports for manual rotation to regulate the elevation of said printing roll support shaft relative to said printing bed.

2. A mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said printing bed comprises a top floor plate presenting a uniformly flat surface for supporting printing type thereon, a bottom floor plate disposed in spaced generally parallel relation to said top floor plate, and a plurality of truss members disposed intermediately of said top and bottom floor plates, adhesive means interposed between adjacent surfaces of said plate and truss members whereby said adhesive integrates said members into the form of a rigid structure while filling the spaces between non-meeting opposed surfaces of said members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,393,444 10/1921 Hill 10l-l28.1 XR 1,711,670 5/1929 Brennan 101128.1 XR 2,836,284 5/ 1958 Gilliatt 198127 2,839,480 6/1958 Ott et al.

2,942,544 6/1960 Williams 101-269 2,945,433 7/1960 Swanson 10l-269 XR 3,024,879 3/1962 Kandra 52-613 3,111,205 11/1963 Gresham 52-630 XR 3,260,199 7/ 1966 Huntley et al 10l269 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

CLIFFORD D. CROWDER, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

